This is how student associations organised your OWee

A lot of creativity, a little stress and a few continuously changing rules. These are arguably the most important ingredients for this year for the OWee committees of the Sint Jansbrug Student Association, the D.S.V.V. volleyball Student Association Punch and the Ariston ’80 football Student Association. As it was not clear for a long time what national corona restrictions would prevail in August, the OWee Board decided – just like last year – to work with different scenarios in which the participants would have one, two or three physical introduction days. 

Most associations started with the first OWee preparations in January of this year without knowing which scenario it would be. How did they handle this? Do what you can and have a plan B for everything. Vlei Blommers of Ariston ’80 football Student Association explains that “For every activity that we thought of, we also tried to think of what it would be like at one-and-a-half metres distance and whether it would be suitable for an online version.”

_{OWee participants are having breakfast at the OWee terrace. (Photo: Sophie Wentink)}

Jolijn van Delft is on Punch’s OWee committee. “There’s always something to do. Thinking up a theme, designing merchandise etc. But there was also a lot of waiting to see what would happen. Waiting for announcements from the Government and waiting for announcements from the OWee Board, that was in turn dependent on the decisions of the Government and TU Delft.

Uncertainty
The OWee Board announced that this year OWee participants would have three physical days. And that is exactly the scenario that Sint Jansbrug, Punch and Ariston ’80 were hoping for. “We are extremely happy with this,” says Van Delft (left on the photo). “The more physical days you have to let first years feel the atmosphere at Cultuurlab [the building Punch shares with other sports associations, Eds.], the better.” Sophie Wentink of Sint Jansbrug is happy too. “First years can now do a half hour tour of our club building instead of the 7.5 minutes that the tours took last year. They can then see what Sint Jansbrug is really like.”

 

Just like last year the associations are using social media to the full. It is raining appealing messages on Instagram. This year Sint Jansbrug is even using TikTok for the first time. “We introduce the OWee Board, unpack merchandise and show a lot more in the videos,” says Wentink. “It’s a lot more playful and for us it is a test to see what works.”

 

Tapping beer
The definitive version of the three physical days for OWee participants means that the associations will be working at full tilt for six days.

The first shift of OWee participants will run from Sunday to Tuesday, the second from Wednesday to Friday. “You see that our members are really looking forward to it,” says Blommers. “We were able practice over the last few months, but enjoying some social time together afterwards was tricky. Now we can sit together with more people at TAP [Ariston’s club house, Eds.]. This will give first years a good idea of what it is usually like at Ariston when you come for a drink after a match or training.”

What can you do at which club?

• Both Ariston ’80 and Punch will be at the Sports Market during the Sports Party and at the Culture Lab. Once you register at either or both associations, you can join a group for lunch and dinner. They also have evening programmes. Ariston, for example, will host a specialist beer event. More information is available on the OWee sites of Punch and Ariston ’80 (in Dutch).
• Sint Jansbrug will be on Oude Delft road, and will have a boat for drinks. Not only can you have a tour of the building, but you can also play in the hall that was specially created for the OWee. The club will also be at the information market and during the OWee you can sleep in an SJB house. For more information see the Sint Jansbrug OWee website (in Dutch).